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Guide

Satisfactory Guide • Updated Jan 8, 2026

Satisfactory: The Pioneer's Handbook to Automation

Welcome to Massage-2(A-B)b, Pioneer. Your mission is simple: exploit the planet's resources, automate your production, and construct an increasingly complex Space Elevator to fulfill your contract with FICSIT Inc. Whether you're playing solo or with a team on a dedicated server, these fundamentals will jumpstart your journey from Tier 0 to endgame.

1. Scan & Prospect

Use the V key to scan for Iron, Copper, and Limestone. Proximity is everything—try to find "Pure" nodes early on to maximize your starting throughput.

2. Hand Crafting No More

Your goal is to transition from the Craft Bench to automated **Constructors** and **Assemblers** as quickly as possible. If you are standing at a bench for 10 minutes, you should have built a machine for it instead.

3. Power Management

Biomass Burners are manual and tedious. Your first major milestone should be **Coal Power**, which provides automatic, infinite power as long as coal and water keep flowing.

Getting Started: Your First Hours

Tier 0: The Tutorial

  1. Drop Pod: You start with a Drop Pod. Explore your immediate surroundings.
  2. Scan Resources: Press V to scan for Iron, Copper, and Limestone nodes.
  3. Hand Craft: Use the Craft Bench to make Xeno-Zapper and Chainsaw.
  4. Build HUB: Construct the first HUB Tier to unlock Tier 1 recipes.
  5. Wire Resource: Connect nodes to Extractors using Mk.1 and Mk.2 belts.
  6. Build Smelter: Smelt Iron and Copper into Ingots.
  7. Construct Parts: Make Iron Plates, Rods, and Screws.
  8. Upgrade HUB: Progress through Tier 0 to reach Tier 1.

Tier 1: Basic Automation

  • Smelter Expansion: Build additional Smelters for Iron and Copper production.
  • Constructor Setup: Automate basic part production (Plates, Rods, Wire).
  • Assembler Introduction: Create Reinforced Iron Plates and Rotors.
  • HUB Tier 2: Unlock Mk.3 belts and more complex recipes.
  • Exploration: Find Caterium and unlock the next biomes.

Tier 2: Steel and Automation

  • Steel Ingot: Combine Iron and Coal to make Steel Ingots.
  • Foundations: Start building on Foundations for vertical expansion.
  • Power Grid: Build Coal Generators and power distribution.
  • Mk.3 Belts: Upgrade logistics for higher throughput.
  • HUB Tier 3: Unlock advanced building options and automation tools.

The Core Gameplay Loop

  1. Gather: Mine raw ores using portable miners or Mk.1 Extractors.
  2. Smelt: Turn those ores into Ingots using a Smelter (Iron, Copper, Gold).
  3. Construct: Use Constructors to turn Ingots into basic parts (Plates, Rods, Wire).
  4. Assemble: Combine basic parts in an Assembler to create complex components (Reinforced Plates, Rotors).
  5. Ship: Feed your final products into the **HUB** or **Space Elevator** to unlock the next Tier of technology.

The Pioneer's Toolbelt

Item Primary Use Pro Tip
Object ScannerFinding Power Slugs and Hard Drives.Listen for the "chirp" frequency; it gets faster as you get closer.
Xeno-ZapperEarly-game combat.Use a jump-attack to avoid most ground-based creature charges.
JetpackVertical mobility.Use short bursts to conserve fuel; don't hold the button!
HoverpackBuilding massive factories.Stay within range of your power poles to stay airborne indefinitely.
BeaconMarking locations and resources.Use different colors to organize your factory zones.
Portable MinerEarly mining without power.Can mine Iron and Copper from the start, but slow.

Resource Management Guide

Common Resources

  • Iron Ore: Found everywhere. Used for most early-game structures and items.
  • Copper Ore: Common resource. Used for wires, cables, and electronics.
  • Limestone: Early-game stone. Used for concrete and early construction.
  • Coal: Found in caves. Essential for Steel Ingots and power generation.
  • Water: Unlimited from water bodies. Used for Biomass production and Nuclear cooling.

Mid-Game Resources

  • Caterium: Found in Dune Desert. Used for advanced electronics and computers.
  • Quartz: Found in caves. Used for silica and crystals.
  • Sulfur: Found in caves. Used for explosives and late-game materials.
  • Bauxite: Found in Northern Forest. Used for aluminum and aluminum plates.
  • SAM Flora: Found in Red Jungle. Used for SAM ore and late-game production.

Late-Game Resources

  • Uranium: Found in deep caves. Used for Nuclear Power production.
  • Nitrogen Gas: Found throughout. Used for production lines and cooling.
  • Oil: Found throughout. Used for fuel, rubber, and plastics.
  • Raw Quartz: Found throughout. Used for electronics and computers.
  • Ficsite: Rare end-game resource. Used for Quantum technology.

Factory Building Principles

Organization Strategies

  • Zone Your Factory: Create designated zones for specific production types (Iron smelting, Steel production, etc.).
  • Use Colors: Paint buildings, belts, and walls to identify different product lines.
  • Foundations: Build on Foundations to create level platforms and organized layouts.
  • Walkways: Build elevated walkways for easy navigation around large factories.
  • Trains: Use trains for long-distance transport between resource zones and production hubs.

Building Efficiency

  • Vertical Building: Build upward, not outward. Save horizontal space.
  • Stack Buildings: Place machines vertically for compact, efficient layouts.
  • Mergers: Use mergers to split and combine belt contents intelligently.
  • Smart Splitters: Program smart splitters for precise material distribution.
  • Buffer Storage: Add storage containers between production stages to prevent bottlenecks.

Power Generation Guide

Early Power: Biomass

  • Biomass Burner: Manual power source using leaves, wood, and organic matter.
  • Biomass Generator: Automated biomass power using biomass from conveyor belts.
  • Biomass Sources: Leaves, wood, alien flora, and food items.
  • Pros: Early-game power, unlimited fuel.
  • Cons: Manual collection, low power output, requires biomass farming.

Mid-Game Power: Coal

  • Coal Generator: Reliable mid-game power source.
  • Coal Production: Mine coal from caves or produce via solid fuel.
  • Water Pump: Required for coal generators to function.
  • Power Shards: Use Power Slugs to create Power Shards for overclocking.
  • Pros: Automated, decent power output, reliable.
  • Cons: Requires coal and water infrastructure, limited scalability.

Late-Game Power: Nuclear

  • Nuclear Power Plant: Massive power generator for end-game factories.
  • Uranium Fuel Rods: Nuclear fuel requiring Uranium processing.
  • Cooling System: Requires water and cooling tower infrastructure.
  • Nuclear Waste: Byproduct requiring management or reprocessing.
  • Pros: Massive power output, highly efficient once established.
  • Cons: Complex setup, requires infrastructure, produces radioactive waste.

Logistics and Transport

Belts and Splitters

  • Mk.1 Belt: 60 items/minute. Early-game logistics.
  • Mk.2 Belt: 120 items/minute. Mid-game upgrade.
  • Mk.3 Belt: 270 items/minute. High-throughput logistics.
  • Mk.4 Belt: 480 items/minute. End-game logistics.
  • Mk.5 Belt: 780 items/minute. Maximum throughput for vanilla belts.
  • Mk.6 Belt: 1,200 items/minute. Maximum achievable throughput.

Advanced Transport

  • Trains: Long-distance transport between zones.
  • Trucks: Medium-distance transport using fuel.
  • Drones: Short-distance automated transport with range limitations.
  • Pipes: Liquid transport for oil, water, and fluids.
  • Industrial Pipe: High-volume liquid transport.

Top 3 Beginner Strategies

  • Build Vertical: Don't spread your factory across the entire map. Use Foundations and Walls to build multi-story industrial towers.
  • Overclocking: Use Power Slugs to create Power Shards. Use these to make machines run at 250% speed, but watch your power consumption!
  • The Awesome Sink: Any excess production should be fed into an Awesome Sink to earn Coupons. These unlock essential building parts like Ladders, Walkways, and Glass Foundations.

Advanced Production Tips

Overclocking Strategy

  • Power Shards: Created from Power Slugs found throughout the world.
  • Overclock Limits: Machines can be overclocked to 250% maximum.
  • Power Cost: Overclocking increases power consumption significantly (quadratically).
  • Shard Management: Balance overclocking benefits against power grid strain.
  • Strategic Overclocking: Focus overclocking on bottleneck machines only.

Balancing Production

  • Identify Bottlenecks: Use production statistics to find slow stages.
  • Balance Inputs/Outputs: Ensure each stage receives sufficient input and produces appropriate output.
  • Buffer Storage: Add storage between stages to handle production spikes.
  • Redundancy: Build backup production lines for critical components.
  • Scale Appropriately: Scale production based on actual consumption, not theoretical maximums.

Heads Up: FICSIT does not waste. If you dismantle a building, you get 100% of the resources back. Never be afraid to tear down an old, messy factory and rebuild it with better logic.

Milestones and Progression

HUB Tier Progression

  • Tier 0: Tutorial and basic resource gathering.
  • Tier 1: Basic automation and smelting.
  • Tier 2: Steel production and power generation.
  • Tier 3: Advanced manufacturing and oil processing.
  • Tier 4: Electronics and computer production.
  • Tier 5: Aluminum and advanced alloys.
  • Tier 6: Advanced production and nuclear power.
  • Tier 7: Advanced manufacturing and alternative recipes.
  • Tier 8: Late-game production and advanced logistics.
  • Tier 9: Quantum technology and portal systems.

Your industrial empire awaits. Host your Satisfactory server with Supercraft and invite your friends to help automate the world with zero lag and 24/7 reliability.

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